Tributes paid to family of three killed in horror holiday smash

Jeffrey (left) and Marion Hain and their son, Christopher, with the former Bishop of Manchester

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A family of three were killed in a horror smash while on holiday.

Jeffrey and Marion Hain and their son Christopher, 36, from Rochdale, died when their car crashed with a lorry on a busy road near King’s Lynn, Norfolk, at around 11.15am on Wednesday.

It is understand the trio were returning to Rochdale after a short break.

Students travelling behind their car desperately pulled them out of the wreckage and tried to save them but they were pronounced dead at the scene.

Tributes have now been paid to the family, who lived on Haugh Lane in Newhey .

Jeffrey, originally from Hyde , and Marion, thought to be from east Manchester , settled in Haugh Lane after getting married, around 38 years ago.

Christopher was born two years later and continued to live with his parents.

The trio were dedicated members of St Thomas’ CE Church parochial church committee and attended services and social gatherings on a regular basis.

Jeffrey was a lay reader and Marion a lay assistant while Christopher was a crucifer, meaning he carried the cross at church parades and events.

Christopher Hain who was killed in a car crash in Norfolk

Vicar the Rev Sue Ward said: “All three of them were so committed to the church.

“They have given so many years of service. Everyone is completely in shock at the moment.

“The three of them were a very close knit unit and you would always see them together. They got a great deal of strength from each other. They will be incredibly missed.”

Former St Thomas’ Vicar Rev Graham Lindley added: “Everyone is absolutely devastated. The family spent their whole lives with each other and with the church. They are such a well-known family and it is terribly sad.”

The Bishop of Middleton, the Rt Rev Mark Davies, said: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of Jeffrey Hain, his wife Marion and their son Chris.

“The family were a much-loved part of the church and will be missed enormously.

“Special prayers will be said at the Eucharist service on Sunday at which the family would normally have been present. Our thoughts and prayers are with the whole community.”

The family enjoyed taking short breaks around the UK and had left for Norfolk on Saturday.

They were known to socialise in the ‘Top Bird’ pub on Huddersfield Road and were regulars at the pub quiz.

Family friend Garth Fell said: “There was nothing bad you could say about the family. They were very close and would be at church whenever they could. It is a huge shock.”

Former St Thomas and St James primary pupil Chris worked in Marks and Spencer on Yorkshire Street since leaving secondary school, and was well-known by staff and customers.

Colleagues were informed of the tragedy on Thursday morning and plan to open a book of condolences in his memory.

Store manager Nick Bluer said: “Everyone is so upset. Chris was a wonderful person. He always had a huge smile on his face and was hugely popular with everyone. He was always happy and pleasant as well as dedicated to his job. We will really miss him.”

Jeffrey, Marion and Christopher were also members of the Milnrow and Newhey Macmillan voluntary committee for Macmillan Cancer Support and often took part in collections for the charity in Morrison’s on Kingsway - raising thousands of pounds.

Neighbours on Haugh Lane were informed of the tragedy by police on Wednesday afternoon.

Maureen Freeman, 70, said: “We are struggling to come to terms with what happened. They were a lovely family and kept themselves to themselves but were very kind and did a lot for the church.”

Suzanne Kirkbride, 45, added: “They seemed to be a lovely family and were always very polite. It is very sad.”

The family’s Kia Ceed crashed into the truck, travelling in the opposite direction, close to The Carpenter’s Arms pub near the village of East Winch.

They died at the scene, despite the attempts of paramedics and students from a local sixth form college who were travelling behind the car when the crash occurred, to save them.

It’s understood three members of a minibus party from East Norfolk Sixth Form Centre pulled Christopher from back of the wrecked car and gave him first aid on the roadside verge, while fellow students tried to reassure Marion and Jeffrey, who were trapped in the front seat.

Other students used a fire extinguisher to cool the car’s smoking engine.

The college vehicle was just yards behind the Hains’ Kia Ceed when the crash happened.

The scene on the A47 near East Winch (Image: Eastern Daily Press/Matthew Usher)

Teacher Neil White, who was driving, said: “It happened right in front of us. Suddenly, we saw the car in front of us swerve out and hit the oncoming lorry. We all jumped out of our mini bus and immediately began first aid.”

Fellow teacher Emma Chambers said: “We are now coming back down to earth, the realisation of what has happened and what else could have happened is sinking in.

“We are no longer going to Derbyshire and getting the students home as there are some anxious parents.”

The minibus carrying the students, aged 17 to 19, from nearby Gorleston, who were on their way to Derbyshire for a field trip as part of their uniformed services course, braked hard when the car collided with the lorry, resulting in another minibus carrying their luggage shunting them from behind.

College principal Daphne King said the trip had now been cancelled and the party would be returning home.

She added: “The young people are very distraught.

“They were with people when they were dying.”

Police have launched an appeal into the crash, which left the A47 - one of the area’s busiest roads - closed for eight hours.

Insp Bruce Gent praised the students’ bravery.

He said: “It was pretty horrific, road crashes are awful things but they were really brave youngsters.”

The lorry driver suffered minor injuries and there was a second minor crash involving the students’ minibus and another van, but no one else was hurt.

Land and air ambulances were sent to the scene of the crash.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called to a road traffic collision between a car and a lorry on the A47 near East Winch.

“We sent three ambulances, an ambulance officer, two rapid response cars, and East Anglian Air Ambulance to the scene. Unfortunately despite the best efforts of all of the emergency services, three people were sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”

Police are still investigating the cause of the collision.

Insp Bruce Gent, of Norfolk police, said: “At this stage I cannot tell you much apart from there has been a collision between a lorry and a car.

“There were also two minibuses that were driving close by behind the car, but the passengers are not hurt.

“We have done thorough investigations which have involved videos, photos and a reconstruction.”

A memorial service is being held at St Thomas’ Church on Sunday from 9.45am.